After a lot of hard work this quarter, we’ve finished prototype #2 of the Oceanic Scales system. This “wall unit” is made of local / sustainably sourced bamboo plywood, incrusted with PLA 3D printed and pine resin cast “Machinic Diatoms” and water molecule forms. When no one interacts with the system it slips into an[…]
In an effort to understand and collaborate with Phytoplankton I’ve started a Bioluminescent phytoplankton garden / lab as a spur project of Oceanic Scales. I am currently growing three varieties of Phytoplankton which were purchased from a local culture lab Empco in an attempt to learn more about this amazing organism and to discover new ways[…]
This gallery of images is pure inspiration when dreaming of modular structures and sculptural forms. Enjoy.
Some amazing projects from the Phillips Design Lab: http://www.design.philips.com/philips/sites/philipsdesign/about/design/designportfolio/design_futures/food.page http://www.design.philips.com/about/design/designportfolio/design_futures/microbial_home.page http://www.design.philips.com/philips/sites/philipsdesign/about/design/designportfolio/design_futures/bio_light.page
Here are a couple of great resources for research going on at UCSC in the realm of phytoplankton other microorganisms: http://oceandatacenter.ucsc.edu/home/oceandatacenter.html http://oceandatacenter.ucsc.edu/home/spotlight%20home.html http://oceandatacenter.ucsc.edu/home/spotlight_microscopy.html http://oceandatacenter.ucsc.edu/home/research.html And some weekly phytoplankton sampling in the Monterey Bay: http://oceandatacenter.ucsc.edu/PhytoBlog/
Little did I know that the bio-luminescent phytoplankton known as Dinoflaggellates are actually predators and eat other phytoplankton. While the rest are busy sequestering carbon and producing oxygen, these ones are hunting their own. http://www.mnh.si.edu/highlight/sem/dinoflagellates.html http://oceandatacenter.ucsc.edu/PhytoGallery/Dinoflagellates/lingulodinium.html
A great article on the key role that phytoplankton plays at the bottom of the oceanic food chain: http://discovermagazine.com/2004/aug/plankton-planet#.UWuhTIKTG3x Another great article on the adaptability of phytoplankton: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/03/130308133057.htm A massive archive of phytoplankton videos not to be missed: http://www.planktonchronicles.org/en
Another amazing resource at UCSC for research on the microorganisms and their key role in maintaining the planets “Nitrogen Cycle”: http://pmc.ucsc.edu/~wwwzehr/research/activities/ http://pmc.ucsc.edu/~wwwzehr/research/
It’s pretty amazing to have this incredible research institute right here in our back yard in Moss Landing. It’s even more amazing to get to collaborate with Steve Haddock as an advisor on the project. Here are some links to some great resources on their website: http://www.mbari.org/ http://www.mbari.org/news/homepage/2013/ecohab/ecohab.html http://www.mbari.org/expeditions/Bioluminescence2012/index.htm http://www.mbari.org/news/homepage/2013/gene-synchrony/gene-synchrony.html http://www.mbari.org/phyto-genome/research.htm http://www.mbari.org/news/homepage/2013/gene-synchrony/gene-synchrony.html
Jellywatch.org is a page for recording sightings of jellyfish and other marine organisms: http://www.jellywatch.org/
http://www.scholarpedia.org/article/Fluorescent_proteins http://www.lifesci.ucsb.edu/~biolum/ http://www.mbari.org/expeditions/Bioluminescence2012/index.htm http://www.annualreviews.org/eprint/pbWcm4DyqvQGJ7F2qGkc/full/10.1146/annurev-marine-120308-081028
